Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) Cation Channels in Diabetes

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) proteins constitute a family of cation channels with very diverse permeation and gating properties. Likewise they have a very diverse role in mammalian physiology ranging from sensory nerve endings, the cardiac muscle to immune cells. Increasing evidence has implicated TRP channels in the pathology of diabetes, both on the level of insulin release from the pancreatic ß cells and in secondary conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, nephropathy and vasculopathy. In this review we summarize these recent findings, which all together indicate that TRP channels are interesting drug targets for the treatment of patients suffering from diabetes.